iPhone status display: What do the orange and green dots mean?

In 2020, Apple rolled out the iPhone operating system iOS 14. This brought various new functions to the company's compatible smartphones. These also included functions aimed at increasing privacy protection. And that brings us to the question: What do the orange and green dots mean in the status display of the Apple iPhone? Why is an orange or green dot sometimes shown at the top right, above the cell phone reception display Here is the answer to that!

The orange dot on the iPhone status display

The orange dot on the iPhone status bar is intended to provide more privacy and data protection under iOS - along with other functions. Because it indicates that the microphone is in use. Microphone access is indicated by the orange circle or dot symbol when, for example, you are making a phone call or using Siri. Voice chats via Discord or the recording of WhatsApp voice messages also ensure that the information symbol is displayed.

This is intended to ensure more data protection when apps are used that do not actually require microphone access. If the orange dot appears in the iPhone status display when you use it, then you know that something is not right. A game, a writing program, a painting app or others should not access the microphone when you are not using the dictation function or similar.

The green dot on the iPhone status display

This notice on the iPhone display is also intended to show that different input devices are currently being used. The green dot on the iPhone status bar indicates that the camera and microphone are in use. Regardless of whether it is a camera app, the photo function of a social media app like TikTok, AR applications or other software: if it accesses the camera (and the microphone), iOS shows this with a green dot.

If the information symbol appears above the cell phone reception display without you consciously using the camera, then you should be suspicious. Some software then accesses the iPhone's recording device. But this is only to be expected as an exception. As a rule, Apple's proprietary system consisting of iPhone and iOS is extremely secure. You hardly have to worry about spy software.

Tip: Check past access via the Control Center

If you have recently seen that one of the colored dots was activated and are wondering which app was responsible, you can use the control center to determine who the culprit was.

Swipe down from the top right corner and open the control center. In the top line you will now find the orange or green dot and to the right of it the name of the app that carried out this access.

In this way, even laypeople can understand which app is “eavesdropping” or has used camera access.